The present invention relates to lifts and pertains particularly to an improved mobile lift for lifting automobiles and the like.
Access to the underside of automotive vehicles is frequently necessary in order to carry out certain maintenance and repairs. It is desirable in most instances to raise the vehicle to approximately shoulder height of the mechanic to facilitate the repair and maintenance. The typical lift available for raising vehicles to this level is normally available only as a permanent installation in garages and service stations. Such lifts typically comprise a subterranean or below-floor mounted hydraulic or air ram oriented vertically with a generally H-shaped support frame or platform mounted on the upper end of the piston rod of the ram on which the automobile is mounted or supported. Hydraulic or air pressure is introduced into the ram for raising the vehicle to the required position.
Such installations are typically expensive permanent stationary installations. For this reason many service stations and service centers have a single lift available which greatly hampers the number of automobiles that can be serviced in a given period of time.
There have been developed mobile lift units typically available only in Europe for lifting vehicles. The existence of a portable lift would enable the lifting of a vehicle to the desired height and supporting the vehicle at the desired height on stationary jacks while the lift may be removed and moved to other locations for lifting and positioning other vehicles. Such an arrangement would greatly facilitate the rapid and efficient repair and maintenance of automotive vehicles. While lifts of this type are generally available there is considerable room for improvement on such lifts.
It is therefore desirable that an improved mobile lift be available.